Dugan addresses allegations

March 24, 1998|By AMY WALLAUER

Dugan addresses allegations

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Rumors that the Democratic party will circulate copies of a family violence petition filed and dropped by Sharon Dugan will not dissuade Sen. Harry Dugan, R-Berkeley, from seeking re-election.

"Not in the least, because I have done nothing wrong," Dugan said Monday from his home. "If this is the only thing they can find, they'll come up short because when they start to review my record, they'll find I did more in one year than they've done in four."

A rumor posted on the Internet suggested the Democratic party would pass out copies of the petition if Dugan wins the May 12 primary.

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Dugan is finishing his first term in the state Senate.

Erica Epperson, secretary of the Berkeley County Democratic Executive Committee, and Louise Yauger, a committee member, said they knew of no such plans.

"I would not be a part of anything to do with that, but I can't say no one else would," Yauger said.

In the petition, Sharon Dugan said she went to the house to get her checkbook and her husband called her into the living room. An argument ensued, the petition stated.

The petition alleged that Harry Dugan threatened to kill her and a friend of hers.

"He said, 'If you want to be happy then you will have to leave the area because I will not leave you alone," the petition alleged.

According to the petition, Sharon Dugan was standing in front of the hearth when her husband "took both of his fists and hit me in the right arm, pushing me off the hearth and into the wall."

Sharon Dugan filed the petition with a magistrate on Jan. 18 and dropped it six days later. No reasons are indicated on court records, but Harry Dugan said Monday it was his wife's decision to withdraw the charge and he didn't ask her to do so.

Sharon Dugan was not available for comment Monday.

"It's a private thing between myself and my wife," Dugan said.

"There was an incident that happened when I was in Charleston and when I came home, things escalated," Dugan said. "I pushed her out of my way. I did not hit her."

Dugan said whatever hurdles the couple faces in their marriage are being worked out and his main concern when this came to light was how it would affect her.

"Basically, what I would like to do is protect my wife," he said. "We're in the process of working this out. I do love her and I don't want to do anything to hurt her."

Dugan said he doesn't want to hurt his campaign, but he won't lie about the incident.

or begin slinging mud.

"There are things I could've used (in the 1994 campaign,) but I didn't," Dugan said. "When you go beyond politics into things that are personal, that's pretty low."